Image formation apparatus, control method therefor, and computer readable storage medium

ABSTRACT

A print setting corresponding to a folder referable by an external apparatus is stored in an image formation apparatus, storage of a file in the folder is detected, the detected file is moved to a storage area in the image formation apparatus, and a print job is generated based on the moved file and information about the print setting corresponding to the detected folder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to print execution processing in an imageformation apparatus in a case where print data is transmitted to afolder, which is referable by an external apparatus, in the imageformation apparatus.

Description of the Related Art

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-167158 discusses amechanism where an image formation apparatus has a function of a hotfolder application. In this mechanism, the image formation apparatus hasa hot folder and also a print condition corresponding to the hot folder.When a file is stored in the hot folder, print execution processing isexecuted based on the stored print condition.

The hot folder in the image formation apparatus can be accessed using ageneral-purpose file sharing protocol. Thus, the file might be accessedby another user until execution of printing after the file has beenstored in the hot folder. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2016-167158, after the storage of the file in the hot folder isdetected, a print job is generated and the file is moved to anotherfolder. For this reason, in a particular case where a plurality of filesis stored in the hot folder, the generation of print jobs takes a longertime. Accordingly, for example, another user can access (write ordelete) the files for a longer time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to reducing access to a file stored ina hot folder in an image formation apparatus further than a conventionaltechnique.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an image formationapparatus communicable with an external apparatus includes a storageunit configured to store a print setting corresponding to a folderreferable by an external apparatus into the image formation apparatus, adetection unit configured to detect that a file is stored in the folder,a movement unit configured to move the file detected by the detectionunit to a storage area in the image formation apparatus, a firstgeneration unit configured to generate a print job based on the movedfile and information about the print setting stored by the storage unit,the print setting being corresponding to the folder detected by thedetection unit, and a processing unit configured to execute printprocessing based on the generated print job.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network configuration.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an entire configuration of animage formation apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration ofsystem software of the image formation apparatus.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of folder information held by the imageformation apparatus.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of print settings set in a hot folder.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing print job list generation processingaccording to a first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of print job lists.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing the print job generation processingaccording to the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart describing print job list generation processingaccording to a second exemplary embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network configurationaccording to a first exemplary embodiment. A local area network (LAN)105 is connected to a personal computer (PC) 101 and an image formationapparatus 102 that are communicable with each other. The PC 101 inputs aprint job, and the image formation apparatus 102 processes the inputprint job. The number of PCs and image formation apparatuses to beconnected to the LAN 105 is not limited to the number shown in thisconfiguration. The image formation apparatus 102 and the PC 101 eachhave a file sharing function that enables mutual file transmission,reception, and sharing between apparatuses connected to the LAN 105. Thefile sharing function is achieved by using a general-purpose protocolsuch as a Server Message Block (SMB) protocol or a Web DistributedAuthoring and Versioning (WebDav) protocol. In the present exemplaryembodiment, an input source of the print job is the PC 101, but can be adevice other than the PC (for example, a mobile terminal, or anotherimage formation apparatus).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an entire configuration of theimage formation apparatus 102. In a controller unit 201 of the imageformation apparatus 102, a central processing unit (CPU) 202 is acomputing unit that controls an entire system. A random access memory(RAM) 203 is a system work memory for an operation of the CPU 202, andis an image memory for temporarily storing image data. Further, programsand data for an operating system, system software, and applicationsoftware are also arranged in the RAM 203. A read only memory (ROM) 204stores a boot program of the system.

A hard disk drive (HDD) 205 stores an operating system, system software,application software, image data, setting data, etc. An operation unitinterface (I/F) 206, which is an interface unit with an operation unit207, outputs information to be displayed on the operation unit 207 tothe operation unit 207. Further, the operation unit I/F 206 receivesinformation input by a user through the operation unit 207.

A network I/F 208, which is connected to the LAN 105, receives andoutputs information from and to the PC and another image formationapparatus connected to the identical LAN. A device I/F 209 connects ascanner 210 and a printer 211 as image input and output devices to thecontroller unit 201, thus inputting and outputting image data. Suchcomponents are arranged on a system bus 212.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of thesystem software of the image formation apparatus 102 in the presentexemplary embodiment.

System software 301 is stored in storage units such as the RAM 203, theROM 204, and the HDD 205, and is executed by the CPU 202.

A folder management unit 302 manages folders stored in the HDD 205. Thefolders include a hot folder where a file can be transmitted to, andreceived from, an external apparatus such as the PC 101 via the LAN 105.The hot folder has a function for detecting reception of the file toexecute print execution processing. The folder management unit 302manages such hot folder. Further, the folder management unit 302 managesalso print setting information to be reflected in print data atexecution of printing for the hot folder.

A folder control unit 303 detects reception of a file in a hot folder,and moves a file received before the print execution processing to aprint folder (for example, a print folder that is not referable by theexternal apparatus).

A print job list generation unit 304 receives information about the hotfolder that has received a file (hereinafter referred to as hot folderinformation) and information about the received file (hereinafterreferred to as file information) from the folder control unit 303 togenerate a print job list.

A network control unit 305 receives a request from the PC 101 or anotherimage formation apparatus connected to the LAN 105, via the network I/F208. In a case where the received request is to store the file in afolder managed by the folder management unit 302, the network controlunit 305 stores the file in the folder.

Upon the generation of the print job list by the print job listgeneration unit 304, a print job generation unit 306 acquires printsetting information managed by the folder management unit 302 from thehot folder information in the print job list. The print job generationunit 306 generates a print job based on the acquired print settinginformation and the file information in the print job list to transmitthe print job to a print execution unit 307.

The print execution unit 307 receives the print job from the print jobgeneration unit 306, transmits the print job to the printer 211 via thedevice I/F 209, and controls the printer 211. Thus, the printer 211executes print processing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the folder informationmanaged by the folder management unit 302.

A folder 401 is a root folder of the image formation apparatus 102. Inthe example of FIG. 4, a folder 402 named “share” and a folder 403 named“local” are located below the folder 401. In the present exemplaryembodiment, the folder 402 and folders below the folder 402 are publicfolders having files sharable by an external apparatus. The folder 403and folders below the folder 403 are private folders hidden from anexternal apparatus, namely, processing folders in the image formationapparatus 102. Further, a folder 404 named “hotfolderA”, a folder 405named “hotfolderB”, and a folder 406 named “folder” are arranged belowthe folder 402. A folder 407 named “print” is arranged below the folder403, and is used as an internal work folder during the printing for ahot folder.

The folder 404 and the folder 405 are managed by the folder managementunit 302 to have a hot folder function. Specifically, the foldermanagement unit 302 detects reception (copying) of files in the folders,and prints the detected files based on predetermined print settings. Theprint settings are, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The printsettings described in a hotfolderA 501 are set for the folder 404, andthe print settings described in a hotfolderB 502 are set for the folder405. The folders having the hot folder function can be generated by andthe print settings corresponding to the folders can be set by operationsusing the operation unit 207. Alternatively, such generation and printsettings can be performed by a method of accessing the image formationapparatus 102 from the PC 101 via the LAN 105 to issue a generationinstruction.

A print job list generation processing flow in the image formationapparatus 102 according to the first exemplary embodiment is describedwith reference to FIG. 6. The CPU 202 of the image formation apparatus102 executes the system software 301 to execute the print job listgeneration processing flow in FIG. 6.

In step S601, the folder control unit 303 waits for copying (reception)of a file into a hot folder. In a case where the folder control unit 303detects the copying of the file into the hot folder (Yes in step S601),in step S602, the folder control unit 303 acquires information about thehot folder in which the copying of the file has been detected(information for making the hotfolderA or the hotfolderB in FIG. 5identifiable). In a case where the folder control unit 303 does notdetect the copying of the file into the hot folder (No in step S601), instep S608, the folder management unit 302 determines whether thisprocessing flow is terminated. This processing flow is to be executedwhen a hot folder is generated. If the hot folder is deleted and no hotfolder is present, the processing flow is terminated. Alternatively, thefolder management unit 302 can determine that the processing flow isterminated in a case where the copying of a file in a hot folder is notdetected for a certain length of time.

In step S603, the folder control unit 303 moves the file, the copying ofwhich has been detected in step S601, from the hot folder to a privatefolder (in the example of FIG. 4, the print folder 407: storage area).

In step S604, the print job list generation unit 304 checks whetherprinting is possible for the hot folder. Specifically, the print joblist generation unit 304 checks whether the printing for the hot folderis permitted or whether the file moved to the private folder has aformat (i.e., page description language (PDL)) of a print target. Thedetermination as to whether the file has the format of the print targetcan be made based on an extension (if Portable Document Format (PDF)data is supported, the extension is “.pdf”). Alternatively, thedetermination can be made based on a byte file identifier at the top ofthe file (if PDF data is supported, the top of the file indicates “%PDF”). In a case where the printing is determined to be possible (Yes instep S604), the processing proceeds to step S605. In a case where theprinting is determined to be impossible (No in step S604), theprocessing proceeds to step S606.

In step S605, the print job list generation unit 304 generates orupdates the print job list based on the hot folder information acquiredin step S602 and the information about the file moved to the privatefolder. The print job list is as illustrated in FIG. 7, for example. Ina case where a file named “fileA.pdf” as PDF data is copied in ahotfolderB 405, a list 704 is saved. Error information 701 indicates“not included”, a file name 702 indicates “fileA.pdf”, and a hot foldername 703 indicates “hotfolderB”. The information in the print job listillustrated in FIG. 7 is shared between this processing flow and a printjob generation processing flow, described below, (in FIG. 8). Theinformation in the print job list can be shared between the twoprocessing flows using a shared memory. Alternatively, the informationcan be passed between the flows using a queue system. When thegeneration of the print job list is completed, the processing returns tostep S601. In other words, in a case where a plurality of files iscontinuously copied, the processing flow is executed on the file inorder of detecting the copying of the files. Just after the generationor updating of the print job list is completed, the processing flow isimmediately executed on the next file, the copying of which is detected.

In step S606, the print job list generation unit 304 generates orupdates the print job list based on the information determined as anerror in step S604 and the information about the file moved to theprivate folder. The print job list is as illustrated in FIG. 7, forexample. In a case where a file named “fileB.txt” that is not a printtarget is copied in a hot folder, a list 705 is saved. The errorinformation 701 indicates “included”, the file name 702 indicates“fileB.txt”, and the hot folder name 703 indicates “—(no information)”.The error information 701 includes information about “included” or “notincluded”, but can include information that can minutely identify errorinformation. Such error information includes an error of a file formator an error indicating that printing capability is not provided. In thehot folder name 703, the information acquired in step S602 is input andcan be left as additional information for a case where a history,described below, is left.

In step S607, the print job list generation unit 304 deletes the filemoved to the private folder when the generation of the print job list iscompleted, and the processing again returns to step S601.

In the above-described print job list generation processing flow, afterthe copying of the file in the hot folder is detected, the file isimmediately moved to the private folder. Further, after the print joblist is generated, the processing is immediately executed on a nextfile. Thus, even in a case where a plurality of files is continuouslycopied, a length of time during which the file in the hot folder isreferable can be shortened as much as possible. Moreover, the print jobgeneration processing flow, described blow, can be executed based on theinformation in the print job list illustrated in FIG. 7. Thus, a storagequantity of information is less than a storage quantity of informationin the processing including generation of a print job.

The print job generation processing flow in the image formationapparatus 102 according to the present exemplary embodiment is describedbelow with reference to FIG. 8. The print job generation processing flowin FIG. 8 is executed by the CPU 202 of the image formation apparatus102 executing the system software 301.

In step S801, the print job generation unit 306 waits for generation ofa print job list or acquires print job information at the top of theprint job list in a case where the print job list has been alreadygenerated. In the example of FIG. 7, in a case where the list 704, thelist 705, and a list 706 are generated in this order, the print jobgeneration unit 306 acquires print job information about the list 704generated first. In a case where the print job generation unit 306 canacquire a print job list (Yes in step S801), the processing proceeds tostep S802. If not (No in step S801), in step S810, the print jobgeneration unit 306 determines whether the processing flow isterminated. A termination determining method is similar to that in stepS608.

In step S802, the print job generation unit 306 determines whether theprint job information acquired in step S801 includes error information.In a case where the print job information includes error information(Yes in step S802), the processing proceeds to step S804, but if not (Noin step S802), the processing proceeds to step S803.

In step S803, the print job generation unit 306 generates a print jobbased on hot folder information and file information in the print jobinformation acquired in step S801. Specifically, the print jobgeneration unit 306 acquires a hot folder name introduced from the hotfolder information, and acquires related print settings from printsetting information (in FIG. 5) held in the folder management unit 302.In a case of the print job in the list 704, the print job generationunit 306 can acquire print setting information described in thehotfolderB 502. The print job generation unit 306 provides the acquiredprint setting information to the file and generates a print job. Afterthe generation of the print job, in step S805, the print job generationunit 306 deletes the print job list. In the example of FIG. 7, in a casewhere the print job in the list 704 is generated, the list 704 isdeleted and the list 705 and the list 706 remain.

In step S804, the print job generation unit 306 generates an error jobbased on error information and file information in the print jobinformation acquired in step S801. Specifically, the print jobgeneration unit 306 generates an error job that includes the acquirederror information and file name information but does not include entityof print data. This error job is generated only for a case where anerror is left in history information. The example of the list 705includes only the error information, namely, information representingthat an error occurs due to any factor. In a case where errorinformation about the file format described for step S606 is present,the list 705 includes information indicating a file format error. Instep S805, the print job generation unit 306 deletes the print job listafter the error job has been generated. In the example of FIG. 7, in acase where the error job in the list 705 is generated, the list 705 isdeleted and the list 706 remains (the list 704 has been already deletedin step S803).

In step S806, the print execution unit 307 acquires the job generated instep S803 or step S804 and determines whether the job is a print job oran error job. In a case where the acquired job is a print job (No instep S806), the processing proceeds to step S807. In a case where theacquired job is an error job (Yes in step S806), the processing proceedsto step S809.

In step S807, the print execution unit 307 prints the generated printjob, and deletes related print data in step S808 after the execution ofthe printing. This processing is executed on the file moved to theprivate folder in step S603. The processing again returns to step S801,and continues if information about a print job list is still present.

In step S809, the print execution unit 307 displays the errorinformation and the related file name information, which have beenacquired from the generated error job information, on the print historydisplayable on the operation unit 207. The processing again returns tostep S801, and continues if information in the print job list is stillpresent.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8 according to the present exemplaryembodiment, the print job list generation processing flow and the printjob generation processing flow share the information in the print joblist, and thus can be executed in parallel. For this reason, if theprint job list generation processing flow is preferentially executed,the length of time during which a file exists in the hot folder can beshortened.

As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, afterstorage of a file in the hot folder in the image formation apparatus 102is detected, the file is moved to an externally inaccessible folder inthe image formation apparatus 102 before generation of a print job whichtakes time. For this reason, in the present exemplary embodiment,external access to a file can be further reduced in comparison withconventional techniques.

Further, after the file has been moved to the externally inaccessiblefolder, the print job list is generated before the generation of a printjob which takes time. Thus, an upper limit number or more of files canbe stored in the hot folder regardless of an upper limit number of printjob queues in the image formation apparatus 102. A specific effect isdescribed as follows. In a case where a file is moved to another folderafter the generation of a print job, upon storage of a large number offiles in the hot folder, print jobs of the stored files are generated.As a result, the number of the print jobs reaches the upper limit numberof the print job queues in the image formation apparatus 102. Thus, aprint job cannot be generated until the generated print jobs areexecuted, and further a file cannot be moved to another folder. On thecontrary, in the present exemplary embodiment, after a file has beenmoved to an externally inaccessible folder, a print job list isgenerated. For this reason, the generation of a print job that takestime can be delayed. Further, a larger number of files can be stored inthe hot folder regardless of the upper limit number of print job queuesin the image formation apparatus 102.

In a second exemplary embodiment, another exemplary embodiment of theprint job list generation processing described with reference to FIG. 6in the first exemplary embodiment is described. Hereinafter, descriptionabout the configuration identical to in the first exemplary embodimentis omitted, and parts different from the description in the firstexemplary embodiment are described.

The print job list generation processing flow in the image formationapparatus 102 according to the second exemplary embodiment is describedwith reference to FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, the print job list generationprocessing flow is executed by the CPU 202 of the image formationapparatus 102 executing the system software 301.

The processing in steps S901 and S908 is similar to the processing insteps S601 and S608 respectively, and thus description thereof isomitted.

In step S902, the folder control unit 303 checks whether printing can beperformed for a hot folder. Specifically, the folder control unit 303checks whether the printing for the hot folder is permitted or whether afile, the copying of which has been detected in step S901, has a format(i.e., PDL) of a print target. The determination of whether the file hasthe format of the print target is similar to the determination in stepS604. In a case where the determination is made that the printing ispossible (Yes in step S902), the processing proceeds to step S903, butif not (No in step S902), the processing proceeds to step S906.

The processing in steps S903 and S904 is similar to the processing insteps S602 and S603 respectively, but the processing in step S902 isexecuted before step S903 unlike the first exemplary embodiment.

The processing in step S905 is similar to the processing in step S605,and thus description thereof is omitted.

In step S906, the print job list generation unit 304 generates orupdates a print job list based on the information determined as an errorin step S902 and information about the file, the copying of which hasbeen detected in step S901. Contents to be generated in the print joblist are similar to those in step S606, and thus description thereof isomitted.

In step S907, the print job list generation unit 304 deletes the file,the copying of which has been detected in step S901, when the generationof the print job list is completed. The processing then returns to stepS901.

As described above, in the second exemplary embodiment, after thecopying of the file into the hot folder is detected, a check is made asto whether the printing for the hot folder is possible, and the file ismoved to another folder. As a result, a file which has been determinedto be unprintable is not moved to a private folder. Thus, only a printjob list is generated and the file is deleted. For this reason,unnecessary file movement processing is omitted, and thus processingefficiency is improved. A length of time for checking the possibility ofthe printing is shorter than a length of time for generating a printjob. Also in the second exemplary embodiment, the access to a filestored in a hot folder can be further reduced in comparison with theconventional techniques.

According to the above-described exemplary embodiments, the access to afile stored in the hot folder in the image formation apparatus can befurther reduced in comparison with the conventional techniques.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by acomputer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computerexecutable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on astorage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/orthat includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or moreof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by thecomputer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out andexecuting the computer executable instructions from the storage mediumto perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). Thecomputer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processingunit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network ofseparate computers or separate processors to read out and execute thecomputer executable instructions. The computer executable instructionsmay be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or thestorage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or moreof a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM),a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™),a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2019-033295, filed Feb. 26, 2019, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image formation apparatus communicable with anexternal apparatus, comprising: a storage unit configured to store aprint setting corresponding to a folder referable by an externalapparatus into the image formation apparatus; a detection unitconfigured to detect that a file is stored in the folder; a movementunit configured to move the file detected by the detection unit to astorage area in the image formation apparatus; a first generation unitconfigured to generate a print job based on the moved file andinformation about the print setting stored by the storage unit, theprint setting being corresponding to the folder detected by thedetection unit; and a processing unit configured to execute printprocessing based on the generated print job.
 2. The image formationapparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second generationunit configured to generate a print job list based on information aboutthe moved file and information about the folder detected by thedetection unit, wherein the first generation unit acquires theinformation about the print setting stored by the storage unit from theinformation about the folder included in the print job list generated bythe second generation unit, and generates a print job based on theacquired information about the print setting and the moved file.
 3. Theimage formation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storagearea, to which the file is moved by the movement unit, in the imageformation apparatus is an area inaccessible by an external apparatus. 4.The image formation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising adetermination unit configured to determine whether the file detected bythe detection unit is printable, wherein, in a case where thedetermination unit determines the file as unprintable, the secondgeneration unit generates a print job list including error informationrepresenting an unprintable state and the first generation unitgenerates an error job based on the error information included in thegenerated print job list.
 5. The image formation apparatus according toclaim 4, wherein, in a case where the processing unit executes printprocessing, the error job generated by the first generation unit is notsubject to printing and error information remains in history informationof the print job.
 6. A control method for an image formation apparatuscommunicable with an external apparatus, the control method comprising:storing a print setting corresponding to a folder referable by anexternal apparatus into the image formation apparatus; detecting that afile is stored in the folder; moving the file detected in the detectingto a storage area in the image formation apparatus; firstly generating aprint job based on the moved file and information about the printsetting stored in the storing, the print setting being corresponding tothe folder detected in the detecting; and executing print processingbased on the generated print job.
 7. The control method for the imageformation apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising secondlygenerating a print job list based on information about the moved fileand information about the folder detected in the detecting, wherein thefirst generating acquires the information about the print setting storedin the storing from the information about the folder included in theprint job list generated in the second generating, and generates a printjob based on the acquired information about the print setting and themoved file.
 8. The control method for the image formation apparatusaccording to claim 6, wherein the storage area, to which the file ismoved in the moving, in the image formation apparatus is an areainaccessible by an external apparatus.
 9. The control method for theimage formation apparatus according to claim 6, further comprisingdetermining whether the file detected in the detecting is printable,wherein, in a case where the determining determines the file asunprintable, the secondly generating generates a print job listincluding error information representing an unprintable state and thefirstly generating generates an error job based on the error informationincluded in the generated print job list.
 10. The control method for theimage formation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, in a case wherethe print processing is executed, the error job generated in the firstlygenerating is not subject to printing and the error information remainsin history information of the print job.
 11. A non-transitory computerreadable storage medium storing a program, the program causing acomputer to function as: a storage unit configured to store a printsetting corresponding to a folder referable by an external apparatusinto the image formation apparatus; a detection unit configured todetect that a file is stored in the folder; a movement unit configuredto move the file detected by the detection unit to a storage area in theimage formation apparatus; a first generation unit configured togenerate a print job based on the moved file and information about theprint setting stored by the storage unit, the print setting beingcorresponding to the folder detected by the detection unit; and aprocessing unit configured to execute print processing based on thegenerated print job.